The two companies - whose vaccines are authorized in the EU alongside AstraZeneca's - will now deliver a total of 810 million doses this year. It takes the EU's total number of doses lined up to 2.6 billion doses.
The EU has delivered 22.5 million doses to date, meaning around 3.2% of the population (of 448 million people across 27 Member States) have received either one or two doses of the two-dose vaccine, according to Bloomberg's vaccine tracker.
Pfizer becomes largest EU COVID-19 vaccine supplier
Pfizer will deliver an additional 200 million doses of its vaccine COMIRNATY to the EU, bringing the total to 500 million doses and making it the largest COVID-19 vaccine order from the EU. The doses are expected to be delivered by the end of 2021.
Furthermore, the EU has the option to request an additional 100 million doses.
COMIRNATY was the first COVID-19 vaccine to be authorized for use in Europe. It is being produced in BioNTech's and Pfizer's manufacturing sites in Europe: such as Pfizer's Puurs, Belgium plant and BioNTech's new Marburg facility in Germany. While the EU was plagued by a shortage of doses earlier this year, Pfizer and BioNTech say supply is now on track.
Ugur Sahin, M.D., CEO and Co-founder of BioNTech, said: "We have taken additional steps to expand our [global] manufacturing capacity to two billion doses in 2021. We will initiate production at our Marburg facility this month and have strengthened our manufacturing network with additional partners. We are continuing to evaluate, together with governments, authorities and partners at all levels, how we might address an even higher future supply requirement for our vaccines.”
Moderna: 310 million doses for 2021
An additional 150 million doses from Moderna are scheduled for delivery in Q3 and Q4, 2021. It brings the total order for 2021 up to 310 million doses.
The EU also has the option to purchase an additional 150 million doses for 2022 delivery. The new contract also provides for the possibility to donate the vaccine to lower and middle-income countries or to re-direct it to other European countries.
Stéphane Bancel, CEO, Moderna, said: “The European Commission is in discussions with us on how to prepare for 2022, including addressing potential variants, and the Commission has an option for an additional 150 million doses for delivery in 2022. Moderna is committed to working relentlessly to bring to market vaccine boosts with the relevant variants to address this global pandemic.”
The European Commission granted a conditional marketing authorization (CMA) for COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna in January, for use in individuals aged 18+.
Doses for Europe are supplied from a 'dedicated non-US supply chain', which will be boosted by production from CDMO Recipharm in France as of next month.
Last week the US also upped its orders from Pfizer and Moderna: purchasing an additional 100 million doses from each to reach a total of 600 million.
